Colombia Required Vaccinations:Yellow Fever

Entry requirements

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required upon entry for travellers 1 year of age and older coming from – or who are in airport transit for more than 12 hours within – Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.

All travellers (from all countries) visiting natural parks and nature and wildlife sanctuaries in Colombia are also required to have a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate that provides proof of vaccination or a valid waiver (see the Colombian Ministry of Health for more information).

The vaccination requirement is imposed by this country for protection against Yellow Fever since the principal mosquito vector
Aedes aegypti is present in its territory.

Updated: December 2018

Recommendations for all travellers

For your protection, Yellow Fever vaccination is recommended for all travellers 9 months of age and older travelling at altitudes below 2300 m / 7546 ft since most of this country is in the Yellow Fever endemic zone. Travellers should be prepared to provide proof of vaccination if going to the departments of Amazonas, Arauca, Caquetá, Casanare, César, Guainía, Guaviare, La Guajira, Meta, Putumayo, Vaupés, and Vichada, as well as certain regions of Bolívar, Boyacá, Huila, Magdalena, Norte de Santander, and Santander. Travellers should carry proof of vaccination at all times.

Note: Vaccination is not recommended if only travelling to Cartagena, Calí, Medellín, or Baranquilla. Take meticulous anti-mosquito bite measures during the daytime in these cities.
Bogotá and the islands of San Andrès y Providencia are risk free.

Travel notice

Countries may change their vaccination requirements without notice and in some instances border agents use their discretion to deny entry despite the officially stated requirements.

If there is risk of Yellow Fever at your destination, whether vaccination is required for entry or not, be prepared to show a certificate of vaccination or a waiver stating the medical reasons for not being vaccinated.

Validity of certificate

A Yellow Fever certificate is valid 10 days after vaccination.

Existing and new Yellow Fever vaccination certificates are now valid for life. The World Health Organization announced that as of 11 July 2016, countries can no longer require travellers to show proof of re-vaccination or a booster dose as a condition of entry. Travellers should note that this new regulation may not be honoured by all border authorities during the transition phase.

Vaccination waiver: A vaccination waiver can be issued by your medical practitioner if the Yellow Fever vaccine is contraindicated for medical reasons. Be aware that problems may arise when crossing borders and the vaccination waiver may not be honoured. Take meticulous anti-mosquito bite measures during the daytime in Yellow Fever risk areas. More details on insect bite prevention.